Jeans are an essential part of any wardrobe, but it can be hard to find the right ones.
The fit and the colour are important considerations, as is finding a pair that are comfortable, made to last and affordable. Top brands such as Levi's are a safe bet though they can be pricey, but what does the high street have to offer?
To find out, BirminghamLive reviewer Emily Collis compared two pairs of jeans from Primark and M&s to see which was best, with the size difference between the two pairs a particular shock. Here's what she found...
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M&S Sienna Jeans
The Sienna Straight Leg Jeans with Stretch are one of M&S's best-selling jeans, with more than 4,500 five star reviews online and cost £22.50, coming in nine different colours. Emily picked a black mix in a size 14, from a choice of sizes 6 to 24 in petite, regular, long, extra short and extra long.
Describing it as "refreshing" that a big name store caters to a range of heights and body shapes, she found they were more stretchy than expected, but decent quality and detailing on the seams making them look more expensive. The size was perfect around the waist, with the jeans sitting comfortably above her hips.
They were loose but not baggy, and Emily found them "super comfortable" when testing them out at an Elton John concert, even getting some compliments from friends.
Primark Stretch Mom Jeans
The Stretch High Waist Mom Jeans appeared to reviewer Emily Collis as the most similar fit to the M&S Sienna jeans on the hanger, with soft and stretch fabric but in a faded blue colour. These come in at £13, £9.50 less than the M&S version.
She found when trying on the jeans at home that Primark's size 16 jeans were slightly smaller than a size 14 in M&S. Though she says they looked flattering on her hips and bum, the fabric was scrunching in places and kept riding up so she had to pull the fabric back down.
Which pair was best?
M&S took the prize partly due to sizing issues with the Primark option - with reviewer Emily surprised that a huge fashion retailer such as Primark doesn't offer a tall or petite range. However, she found that the M&S jeans ticked all of the boxes, and were "flattering and super comfortable."
She added: "I've paid much more for jeans of a similar quality in the past. I'll definitely be buying them in other colours."
Where do you like to buy your jeans? Let us know!
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